XMen to Brotherhood: The Battle Against The Cure
by Sakura4eva
Summary: What if Magneto held off on starting the battle to let Jean recover and stabilize herself a bit and Rogue, instead of heading to get 'the cure', went to join the brotherhood? And what if, along the way, Pyro slowly found himself falling for her...?
1. Prologue

Summary: What if, instead of heading off to get 'the cure', Rogue went to join the brotherhood? What if Magneto held off on starting the battle to let Jean recover and stabilize herself a bit? What about if Pyro found himself falling in love with his ex-best friend's ex-girlfriend...? A lot of changes would occur – that's something you can be sure of!

Pairings: Pyro/Rogue, Logan/Storm, Bobby/Kitty, (Jean/Scott)

**Disclaimer: **Don't own X-Men – quite obvious with all the changes I'm making, huh? XD That, and the comics were made even before I was born... -.-'

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**From X-Men to Brotherhood: The Battle Against The Cure**

Prologue – Heading Out

Rogue stepped out of her room; all her belongings packed tightly into a single canvas bag – after all, she came with so little stuff and in the mansion, she hadn't had the need for anything more aside from a few random pieces of clothing to replace old, torn, and out-of-date items. She was now completely thankful for this as it made it _a lot_ easier to just stand up and leave.

"You need a lift, kid?"

Rogue turned slowly, her mind in a bit of a panic as for an excuse, but relaxed as she registered the voice of Logan. "No."

He walked up to her. "Where're you going?" He asked softly.

She just stared at him, her mind racing again, but her face stayed impassive.

"You're going to get the cure." It was a statement, not a question.

She frowned inwardly in distaste. Despite popular belief, Rogue absolutely hated the very idea of that 'cure'. Everyone just kind of figured that she wanted it when she had barged into Professor Xavier's office (now Storm's) and demanded to know whether this 'cure' would work or not. Really, though, she was enraged by the very idea – much like Storm, but to a higher degree. The difference was; she could actually conceal her anger. You learned to hide a lot of things being a mutant, as you're ostracised by the rest of the world.

Of course, being angry with this curse was exactly _why_ she was leaving – that and catching Bobby (her boyfriend of at least six months) and Kitty getting a little too close for her comfort skating around on the recently frozen fountain out back.

Call it jealousy, but really – Rogue had had enough. She knew that a proper relationship wouldn't work unless she got the cure and she sure wasn't doing that!

Back to Logan, however, Rogue realized that she couldn't explain all this to him. There were just certain things that were kept from him and this was most definitely one of them.

She nodded quickly (possibly a little _too_ quickly? Logan shook that off, though.) and babbled out something about being afraid of her powers and wanting to be able to get closer to people.

Sheesh. Why would she want that? People have only ever hurt her. She didn't want more of that.

Logan looked at her suspiciously. "I hope you're not doing this for some boy..."

Rogue almost rolled her eyes, but instead looked down, trying to think of a retort.

He shifted his feet a bit, then continued, apparently taking that he was correct about that. "Look, if you want to go, then go. Just make sure that it's what _you_ want."

She smiled. He had no idea how much he just encouraged her to do what she was about to do. Still, she thought that she'd better check something as this seemed a little off for an adult (even if Logan wasn't exactly your everyday responsible one).

"Shouldn't you be telling me to stay? To go upstairs and unpack?"

Logan shook his head, smiling a bit in something akin to fondness. "I'm not your father; I'm your friend."

Rogue grinned slightly. She'd definitely have to remember that and be especially careful for him once this was all put into action.

"Think about what I said, Rogue." He finished and started walking away.

She nodded and decided right then that she'd take his words to heart, even if in a way that he hadn't quite intended. "Thanks," she whispered, and had a feeling that he heard her because just before she turned around to head out the door, she caught out of the corner of her eye, the slightest of nods.

Rogue grinned in pure relief as she walked out the doors of the mansion a few moments later, breathing the cool evening air in deeply in satisfaction.

Logan really did have no idea what-so-ever on what he just helped her with, but she was thankful for it all the same.

She'd definitely have to stand up for him if ever anything bad happened later on because of this...

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**AN: Well I finally have this up. Been waiting in my story box for far too long, so I thought that I'd put it up. :D Sorry if it's a bit confusing, but this _is_just the prologue. Thanks for reading and review if you wish. Ja ne!**

**- _Cady_**


	2. I – Getting Sorted

Summary:What if, instead of heading off to get 'the cure', Rogue went to join the brotherhood? What if Magneto held off on starting the battle to let Jean recover and stabilize herself a bit? What about if Pyro found himself falling in love with his ex-best friend's ex-girlfriend...? A lot of changes would occur – that's something you can be sure of!

Pairings: Pyro/Rogue, Logan/Storm, Bobby/Kitty, (Jean/Scott)

**Disclaimer:** Count it **disclaimed**...

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**From X-Men to Brotherhood: The Battle Against The Cure**

Chapter 1 – Getting Sorted

Pyro watched as his 'teacher', Magneto, walked up to Jean Grey. He shook his head. _'Great... He's going to suck up to her.'_

He almost laughed when Jean started taking apart the 'cure'-filled gun with her telikenis and pointed the needles at Magneto threateningly then after a moment, dropped them to the ground.

Well, it was obvious that he had to use some diffent form of getting her onto his side.

Pyro just barely caught "That cure is meant for all of us. If we want freedom, we must fight for it. And that fight begins now."

The blondenodded in agreement. He was glad that he'd found someone who actually supported his theories _and_ let him flame whomever he wanted (almost, anyway).

Pyro noticed that Magneto was turning away and stepped up to his side, his feet falling in sync with his teacher's.

He completely ignored the presence of the woman talking to Magneto – if she wanted his full attention, she'd have to ask.

Besides, from the sound of things, she was disagreeing with Magneto's decision to bring Jean along; something about her not being safe enough and her power being unstable. He couldn't help but agree.

He rolled his eyes inwardly at Magneto's decision, too, but he didn't voice it normally, no matter how much he wanted to.

Pyro turned his attention back to his teacher when he heard him responding. It was always good to listen to him when _he_ spoke.

"Only in the wrong hands."

This time, he really did roll his eyes, though in distaste. "You trust her? She's one of them."

"So were you once." Magneto reminded him, amusement evident in his voice.

Pyro nodded, however reluctantly, adding, "I stuck with you all the way. Would've killed the professor if you'd have given me the chance." He grumbled, slightly annoyed, even though he had a feeling that – if he actually _was_ given the chance – he wouldn't be able to do it. Not that he'd mention that, of course!

Pyro stopped short when he felt a sturdy hand placed on his chest, forcing him to turn around and face its owner – Magneto.

"Charles Xavier did more for mutants than you'll ever know. My single greatest regret is that he had to die for our dream to live."

He stated it so seriously that Pyro had to actually think for a moment to make sure that he was actually in the right place.

... Yep, still Magneto, still the Brotherhood. Just a slight personality insight.

Pyro watched him walk on, for once not following right away.

So apparently the two old guys really had cared for each other...

He stood there for a moment in thought before realizing that he better catch up – if not, he had a feeling that he'd get left behind. Magneto might wonder where he was and ask around, but it probably wouldn't go much further than that.

But Pyrowas fine with that. He liked the freedom and the low responsibilities.

He was better off here... Really.

--

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Bobby walked up to Rogue's door and knocked on the wood. "Rogue." Upon hearing no answer, he knocked again. "Hey, Rogue," he called a little louder.

Still nothing.

Bobby frowned and opened the door.

_'What the...?'_

The bed lay clear and empty; her personal sheets folded at the side, and a quick glance in her dresser and closet told him that it was all empty as well.

His frown grew; worry stretching along his face as he stepped back out, shutting the door behind him. _'Has she switched rooms or something?'_

Bobby glanced down the hallway and saw Colossus, or Pete, coming up, a huge, heavy-looking television held in one of his strong arms. He looked to be having no trouble what-so-ever with that, and even after knowing the guy for so long, he was still amazed at the older teen's stamina and strength.

"Hey, Pete!" He called out, catching his attention successfully. "Have you seen Rogue?"

Pete just nodded. "Yeah, she took off."

That was another thing that still kept surprising Bobby – his annoying aloofness.

...

_'... Oh.'_

He knew immediately what she was headed for: the cure. But why wouldn't she tell him that?

Of course, he didn't know that she had seen him with Kitty just the night before...

...

He had to find her! He didn't want her to get rid of her mutant abilities! Especially if she was doing it for him.

Which brought him back to the reason he was even standing at her door and looking for her. He wanted a break. Or to break-up.

Bobby flinched. He hated the very idea of it, but he knew that he was having feelings for Kitty and it wasn't right to keep trailing them both along. Besides, his feelings for her were dampening and he couldn't tell if it was because of their slightly less-than physical activities together or something else entirely...

Either way, she shouldn't be giving herself the cure for him if they were just going to break-up.

With this painfully true thought in mind, Bobby took off down the hallway and out the mansion's front doors.

--

Ororosighed as she walked along the hallways and into the area Logan's room was situated. She smiled slightly at the thought of him. She had liked him for quite some time now, but he had always been pre-occupied with Jean.

Maybe now, even if it was horrible circumstances, she had a chance with him.

However, she immediately scratched out that idea when she walked into his room and saw him packing up all his clothes.

"Where are you goin'." Though she knew the answer, she just had to check.

Logan only briefly paused in his packing, then continued again. "Where do you think?" He finally asked.

"She's gone, Logan." Ororo stated, trying to get him to reconsider. "She's not coming back."

"You don't know that." Logan retorted, though he had a little trouble believing his own words.

Although starting to get slightly frustrated, she said gently, "She killed the professor."

Logan shut his eyes in annoyance as he zipped up the now-filled pack. "It wasn't Jean." He insisted. "The Jean I know, is still in there."

"Listen," Ororo started, stepping in front of him, blocking the doorway successfully, and ignoring his rude demand to 'get out of his way'. "Why can't you see the truth, huh? Why can't you just let her go-?"

Suddenly, Logan grabbed, her by her upper arms and pushed her against his door, staring at her hard. "Because-! Because-"

Ororo stared back, then interupted him, stating bluntly, "-Because you love her."

They stared at each otherfor moment – Logan still panting slightly from adrenaline and agitation; Storm still propped against the door uncomfortably, but silent all the same.

Finally, he let go, turning around in defeat as he did so.

Ororo stood still for a moment. _'... Okay, gentleness and patience be damned!'_ Regaining her composure instantly, she stepped up a bit. "She made her choice." She bit out, staring at his still back in distaste and distrust. "Now it's time we make ours. If you're with us, then be _with us_."

And with that, Storm stepped out of his room and down the hall again, her heels making the only noise as they hit the floor soundly beneath her.

_'I can't believe that he loves her – still! ... I can't believe that I love him.'_

--

Rogue stepped off the bus, glancing around. She smirked slightly, then turned around and walked onto the other side of the road and into the crowds of protesters against the cure.

Oh yes, that's right; Rogue was at the centre where the cure was being given out for the mutants that wanted it.

_'And where it'll be made for those that _don't_ want it, too.'_ She thought bitterly, making her way through the angry crowd.

The only reason Rogue was here was because she had a strong feeling that one of Magneto's 'followers' would be there. Most likely to cause mischief of some sort.

Suddenly, she spotted Bobby, also pushing his way around the crowd of people. She quickly ducked to the side. Apparently he was looking for her, or someone at least, as he kept glancing on the other side of the street where the line-up for the cure was.

_'Probably Kitty...'_Rogue grumbled inwardly, glaring at his back, when all of a sudden, a familiar head of blonde hair came into view beside him.

_'John!'_

So she was right; one of Magneto's followers was there! Now to get up to him without Bobby noticing... Though she really wished that someone _else_from the Brotherhood could've been there – _anyone_ else! – so she wouldn't have to talk to him.

Oh well, he'd just have to do.

She watched in amusement as Pyro challenged Bobby to a fight; flame levitating above his palm threateningly.

When she didn't see any lighter, she figured he must've actually gotten stronger.

_'Good to know.'_

--

John smirked when he saw his old best friend amongst the crowd.

_'And I thought that he was at least a_ little _stronger then to stoop down to this and take the stupid 'cure'. Ah, well. This'll be fun.'_

The blonde walked up to him easily, the mutants in the crowd willingly moving aside for him.

"Gettin' the cure so you can go back home to Mommy and Daddy?" He mocked, watching with great amusement when Bobby whipped his head around to face him, giving a glare, though he looked shocked at seeing him.

Bobby stared at him for a moment, before finally saying, "I'm looking for someone."

John turned his head back to the line-up. _'... Oh...'_

Still, he kept quiet for a moment as he thought up something to say. "Oh, I get it... Your _girlfriend_."

He said that word with such distaste that Bobby stared at him for a moment, suddenly unsure of why he hated _her_ so much. After all; what had she ever done to him...? Then again, this was the same guy that had joined Magneto after having nothing but caring people looking out for him.

"I figured she'd want the cure." _'And I was sort of looking for her as well.'_He added inwardly, though he'd never say it. Of course, that wasn't the main reason he had come down here. John was sent by Magneto to start up a little fuss – the possibility of seeing Rogue was just a bonus.

Rogue had always interested him, anyway.

When he noticed his ex-best friend's suddenly suspicious gaze, he thought of a good way to finish his little 'mission'... "She's pathetic." ... To get a rise from Bobby and have a fight right there; destroying everything and everyone else around them. It really was perfect!

He smirked when he noticed Bobby's hand (now Iceman's) starting to freeze up, clenching angrily.

Pyro retaliated by sticking his hand out to the side and lighting it on his own. He was no longer just a wielder of the flame – he created it and controlled it.

"Come on, Iceman," Pyro taunted. "Make a move."

Just when he thought that he'd actually do just that, Bobby unfroze his fist, shaking his head in denial.

With that, he turned around, ignoring John's annoyed shouts about him being the 'same old Bobby' and how he was afraid of a fight.

_'No fun... Ah, well. Guess I'll just go with the original plan.'_

And, with this in mind, Pyro held the same flame in his hand, took a step back, and put his hand out in front of him. In less than two seconds, the entire bottom floor was burning and the previously protesting people scattered in terror.

Bobby immediately turned around to try to re-locate and confront his old friend, but he found only running people with John no where in site.

--

The moment Pyrohad released that flame, he was grabbed from behind by someone, and dragged into a corner.

The blonde quickly readied some more fire and was about to roast them alive when he realized who it was.

"... Rogue?"

Rogue grinned sarcastically. "Hey there, Pyro."

"What are you doing here and why did you just-"

"I'll just to get the point, okay? I want to join the Brotherhood."

_'... Well that was unexpected.'_

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**AN: Ah, hah hah. Yeah, I know I suck, but whatever. Anyway, this storyline was kind of my thought since I first watched the second movie and the third just gave me the exacts. :D Thanks for reading and review if you wish. Ja ne!**

**- _Cady_**


	3. II – Introduction to The Brotherhood

Summary: What if, instead of heading off to get 'the cure', Rogue went to join the brotherhood? What if Magneto held off on starting the battle to let Jean recover and stabilize herself a bit? What about if Pyro found himself falling in love with his ex-best friend's ex-girlfriend...? A lot of changes would occur – that's something you can be sure of!

Pairings: Pyro/Rogue, Logan/Storm, Bobby/Kitty, (Jean/Scott)

**Disclaimer:** Count it **disclaimed**...

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**Recap:**

"... Rogue?"

Rogue grinned. "Hey there, Pyro."

"What are you doing here and why did you just-"

"I'll just to get the point, okay? I want to join the Brotherhood."

_'... Well that was unexpected.'_

**End Recap**

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**From X-Men to Brotherhood: The Battle Against The Cure**

Chapter 2 – Introduction to The Brotherhood

Pyro walked up to the entrance of the Brotherhood's base, Rogue in tow.

He was still surprised that she came, but after hearing her explanation (however brief it was; about how she disagreed with everything the 'cure' stood for and how – if this was the group fighting against it – she belonged here.), he somehow believed her and let her come with him.

The two came up to Magneto's large, self-made metal base inside the ground and Pyro (never John when he was around these people) gestured to the slightly mussed up section of turf on the hillside. She went over to it and lifted it up, revealing it to be a trap door leading to a set of stairs.

Quickly heading down the steps, as Pyro had a feeling Magneto was expecting him anytime now, they were suddenly stopped just before they reached the bottom by Arclight and Callisto.

"What's she doing here? She's one of them." Callisto stated, sneering at Rogue.

Rogue scowled at her, but Pyro just ignored the comment and pushed past the two in front of them, Rogue following close behind.

"Hey!"

"She's joining us."

And with that, the two former X-Men **(AN: Since I couldn't say 'ex-X-Men'... XD) **walked into Magneto's make-shift 'office'.

They found him finishing up on a video to send to the press and government, obviously and rather unsurprisingly having already heard about Pyro's stunt being completed.

The moment he finished talking and the tape was off, Magneto turned around and studied Rogue carefully, already fully aware Pyro would not just bring anyone here. Yet he remembered her somehow... He glanced at her hair, then smirked as the memories of her came back.

"Ah, Rogue. How kind of you to drop in..."

Pyro took this as a prompting for an explanation, having been with him long enough. "She wants to join us."

"Does she now?"

Rogue nodded curtly. "If you're against this so-called 'cure', then you can count me in."

Magneto's smirk grew. "I always knew you were a smart girl, Rogue."

--

Ororo sighed with disappointment as she watched Logan ride out of the mansion gates on Scott's old motorcycle. It was handed down to him, as he was the only adult that could and _would_ actually ride it.

But that wasn't the only source of her exasperation. Just before he left, he stopped at _her_ office (she was still getting used to it being hers) and told her that Rogue had left for the cure.

She sighed again. She'd really hoped that none of the students at the school would get it, but with the loss of Scott and Professor Xavier, some people must have just been driven to do so in an attempt to forget, move on, and fit in.

Ororo shook her head as she fished out Rogue's personal file. She smiled slightly at the information on how she was brought there. Storm herself had been the one to save her in Logan's car with the help of Cyclops so long ago after an attack by Magneto.

Sheesh. She was going to start crying if she kept this up!

Determinedly keeping her eyes dry, Ororo put a little note at the bottom, but didn't destroy the file in case Rogue didn't go through with it. Hey, you never know.

_'Oh, do come back... Logan. Rogue.'_ She glanced out the window, unaware that she was making the skies darken and cloud over with her grief. _'We need you now more than ever.'_

No one came to tell her that the 'forecast was for sunny skies' – and no one ever would.

--

Rogue stood in the crowd with the Brotherhood, watching Magneto get everyone hyped up about fighting. Pyro stood by his side and a little behind, as was his usual custom around here, and she was getting quickly used to that.

Just then, she spotted a familiar figure standing just ahead of her. Something about him or her (seemed like a man, with their sturdy build, but they were wearing a cloak.) called out to her in warning.

However, the moment they turned around and started pushing their way through the crowd, her stomach plummeted to the soles of her feet.

_'Logan...'_

Yeah, that was Logan or Wolverine ahead of her – most likely looking to get Jean back.

Speaking of which... Wasn't that Jean leaving right now?

Rogue couldn't help but be slightly stunned. This was, after all, one of her teachers from when she first came, and to think that she had died (right in front of her eyes, nonetheless!) and then was suddenly right there... To say she was tongue-tied would be a severe understatement!

The speech was just ending, so Rogue, too, pushed her way out of the crowd to see what Logan and Jean were doing here.

It looked like Logan wasn't supposed to be here, judging by the way he was dressed, but everyone was fully aware of Jean, as she had been standing right at the front.

"Jean."

Rogue watched curiously as she turned around and faced Logan.

Just then, Logan was picked up and was levitated a couple feet off the ground, almost telepathically. But Rogue knew better.

She turned around, only to come almost face-to-face with Magneto.

He said something about being able to sense him, thanks to the adamantium in his structure, but Rogue wasn't really paying attention to that. She was more focussed on keeping herself unnoticed from Wolverine's attention.

"I'm not leaving without her."

"Yes; you are." And just when he was about to cast him away and through the forest, Magneto seemed to think for a moment and add, "Oh and Rogue..."

She froze, wishing she could just shrink into the ground. _'Wait a minute... Marie- No, Rogue does not cower! She's here because she wants to be here, just like Jean.'_

Rogue looked up at Magneto with a steeled face.

"Thank you for keeping an eye out for intruders."

Logan's face blanked out for a moment, then completely unadulterated betrayal, hurt, and fury crossed over his face. He broke.

Rogue watched with inward terror as Logan was hurled through the forest, just like Magneto had planned to do earlier. But she said nothing. Having seen his face make that kind of expression hurt her more than any fall could have, and she had no doubt it was the same for him.

She suddenly felt slightly numb. In a way, she was glad for it, as she didn't want to feel that pain, but she promised right then and there: she would make it up to him when all this was through. After all, she was only here to stop the cure.

Rogue glanced at Pyro quickly, then followed after Magneto, setting her pace to be the same as the fire-user.

At least, that's what she kept telling herself...

--

"They're doing the 'trap' tonight, right?"

Rogue snapped her head up from her book as she sat it in the corner of the stone base. They had returned 'home' (well, to the main stone base, anyway) just hours earlier, with their re-enforcements and were going over battle plans. For some reason, Magneto seemed to be hesitating at heading out to start the battle just yet.

Magneto nodded shortly at Callisto's question. "Yes, that's right." He said thoughtfully.

Rogue frowned and turned to face Pyro, sending him a look of confusion. 'What's going on?' She mouthed.

Pyro gave a shrug, but went over and stood beside her. "It's been confirmed that the government is going to try to 'exterminate' us."

"Pfft. Fat chance!" Rogue snickered and Pyro sent her a smirk.

"Yeah, exactly. We figured out what was going to happen only an hour after they had officially confirmed it!" He seemed proud of his group's abilities and Rogue definitely could not blame him. "Of course, we also have a plan to make it backfire on them." When he noticed her questioning stare, he added, "Just listen and you'll figure it out."

She scrunched up her eyebrows a moment in thought, but turned back to the rest of the group to listen to the night's plans.

"That's only an hour after nightfall... Correct?" Kid Omega asked, his dark eyes showing no hint of any of his emotions, as per usual.

Callisto nodded in response – she already knew that. However, there was something that was bugging her... "How did _they_ figure it out, though?"

Magneto gave a sigh. "That, I'm afraid, I only have a guess for."

The rest of the brotherhood stared at him in confusion, their eyes expecting.

"Mystique."

Pyro sighed. "Of course." He mumbled quietly.

Rogue glanced around the room, then stood up beside Pyro. "Hey, that's right... Where is Mystique? I haven't seen her since I came."

Pyro sneered at nothing in particular. "Tch. That's 'cause she was given the cure – right out of a gun."

... That just absolutely _disgusted_her. But for even Pyro to be this upset outwardly (well, she knew that he would be positively livid on the inside, anyway, but)...? Did he- Oh wow, did Pyro _like _Mystique?!

Just then, he glanced up, confused by her silence, but the moment he saw her look of realization and shock (and not in the same way that she had felt when he told her that the cure had done it), he realized what she was thinking. The idea nearly made him want to laugh, but he suppressed it. "Oh, no, no! I know what you're thinking - I didn't feel anything like_ that_ for her. She was more like ... a mother."

Rogue blinked. _'A ... mother?'_ She could _not_imagine Mystique as a mother! "Wha- How...?"

Pyro shrugged. "She was nice."

After a moment, Rogue found out that that was all she was going to get from him and let it go. "But still... Why would she tell the _government_ – of all people! – about Magneto's base and operations. Surely she was tricked into it...?"

The blonde shook his head. "Nah. I doubt it. Magneto and Mystique didn't part on the .. friendliest of terms."

Rogue stared at him, her eyes widening then narrowing in disgust. "He abandoned her, didn't he?"

He nodded. "Yep."

She thought about this for a moment, before turning back to the conversation before them. She didn't need to hate the leader of this whole thing a moment before a war started. That would prove to be troublesome. Though, she couldn't help but feel pity for Mystique – or Raven, as she was going by now – previous enemy or not.

"Alright, prepare yourself." Magneto was saying, facing several men. Wait a minute... They all looked identical...

One of the men, the one that Magneto had most of his attention on, nodded and all of a sudden, the five or so other identical copies started melting into his body.

_'Ah... He can multiply his body. But still, how would that work? Is he the only one going to-'_

Callisto cut Rogue off from her thoughts. "They are setting up a satellite feed of the co-ordinates of where we were yesterday."

The younger girl nodded, remembering the forest where she had seen Wolverine quite clearly... But it wasn't time to dwell on that.

Suddenly, the plan clicked in and she couldn't help but give an inward grin at how ingenious it was. "Ahh... I see; Magneto's planning on sending that body-multiplier into the place we're expected to be at and set up a decoy."

The other girl nodded, a slightly satisfied smirk at her intelligence was clear on her face. Then a look of surprise and minor suspicion came over her. "... Listen, I don't normally ask this, but... What's your power?"

Rogue looked slightly surprised for a moment and stared at her. "Um, wha-?"

"I sense other mutants and their powers. I can figure out their class and ability with just a glance. However, I can't figure out _any_thing from you. Why? What is it?"

"Uh... Oh, if someone touches my skin, they get hurt. For humans, I take away their life source; for mutants, it's their ability. But it only lasts for a while... I'm probably a class two."

Callisto would've believed her, except their was still one thing wrong... "Then why can't I sense it? You have another ability, don't you?" She asked, her eyes narrowed.

Rogue winced, glancing around quickly, worry evident on her face. "Shh!" She hissed, her voice desperate, almost. Then she realized exactly what she just did, and she didn't even need to look at Callisto's face to know that it wasn't missed.

The girl grinned. "Oh?" She asked, drawing out the syllable in a lazy drawl. "Then what's with that reaction, hmm? I mean, if you have nothing to hide, why-"

"Agh! Okay, okay..." Rogue snapped, lowering her voice. "Yes, I have another power, but it's ... different."

Callisto frowned. "What, and the rest of us aren't?"

The two laughed a bit at that.

"Alright, I'll tell you what it is – if you want," Here, she received a very 'duh' look from Callisto, so Rogue continued. "But you can't tell anyone, okay?"

Callisto sighed. Obviously there was no real choice in the matter and there was absolutely no chance that she was going to pass this up – for once her own power didn't work and she _was_going to figure out why. "Fine. But I didn't know if Magneto finds out and gets angry at you for not telling him."

Rogue's eyes widened. "He'd do that?"

Callisto shrugged. "I wouldn't doubt it, that's for sure."

"True."

"So...?" Callisto prompted.

--

Pyro watched from where he stood beside Magneto, as Callisto (a woman he wasn't too fond of. He just didn't like her, but he really didn't like anyone here... Maybe she was actually really nice like Mystique? Who knows...) and Rogue talk like old friends.

He couldn't help but smile inwardly as Rogue let out a laugh at something Callisto had said, and he was surprised when the other joined her. He hadn't seen Rogue smile since he saw her at the cure centre where he had first found her to bring her here only a couple days ago (and even that was only a sarcastic grin. On top of that, she was normally _always_ smiling, back from what he could remember. Then again, that's when she had _Bobby_... Gah.). It had been worrying him, but he just brushed it off as her being home-sick or sad about Logan or Bobby.

Now, however, it seemed like all she needed the whole time was a friend. Someone she could talk to. She didn't seem like she had really any friends back at the mansion. Maybe he had seen her talk to Pete, obviously Bobby and the teachers and the professor and... Uh, was that it?

Well, in any case, if these two became friends, she would start smiling once more.

That calmed Pyro, for reasons he wasn't even sure of.

"Alright. We're all set, then."

The extra-body guy gave a grin. "And maybe I'll even get to meet you in the battle at the end of all this, too. Catch ya 'round!"

With that, the guy did a little 'salute' thing with two of his fingers and the body seemed to fly out of the room – he was already on his way to the location.

"Pretty handy, that." Pyro commented.

"Indeed." Magneto agreed. "Now... Onto plans for the next step: War."

Pyro smirked. Yes, it was about time.

"Jean!" Magneto called out. "Once you feel you're ready, we shall go. I have a few things that I'd like you to do – along with everyone else, of course. Just to prepare, you know?"

_'Yes! ... Wait, what...?'_

Well, it seemed Magneto had plans to improve her control of her own power, too.

_'Guess that whole threat with the cure gun really did scare him after all, huh?'_

Still, this meant that he'd have even more time to get to know Rogue. Something that he really had been wanting to do...

* * *

**AN: This one took a bit longer than I expected – sorry about that! However, I guarantee the next will be even longer... I'm sorry! But stick with me, okay? :) Well, thanks for reading and review if you wish. Ja ne!**

**- _Cady_**

**Ps. Just in case you can't remember:**

Callisto: Fast girl; can track/count/check on mutants. Skinny and emo/goth-ish; long hair.

Kid Omega: Spiky dude. :D **(I think it's his mutant name, but I have no idea, really... XD)**

Arclight: Shock wave girl. Tall and skinny, also slightly emo/goth-ish; short, black-dark blue hair.


End file.
